HYPITAT-II

Hypertension and Pre-eclampsia Intervention Trial At near Term

Go to the Hypitat II website

Objective
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and preeclampsia (PE) occur often in pregnancy, and can result in severe complications such as eclampsia, placental abruption, preterm delivery, HELLP syndrome or even intra-uterine death and maternal death. Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are the largest cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands. Recently, our group evaluated in the HYPITAT trial whether a policy of induction of labour in women with mild preeclampsia or pregnancy induced hypertension at term was superior to a policy of expectant management. In this trial, we found that induction of labour reduced the number of complications, such as severe hypertension, whereas there was no increase in caesarean section. In view of the outcome of the HYPITAT study, one can raise the question how women with preeclampsia or severe hypertension between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation should be managed. International there is a tendency for induction while in the Netherlands mostly an expectant policy is preferred. Induction of labour might prevent maternal complications and progression to a severe preeclampsia. However, late preterm births are common and associated with increased neonatal morbidity compared with births at 39 weeks. At present, there is no evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of induction of labour in women with pregnancy induced hypertension or mild preeclampsia with a gestational age of 34 - 37 weeks of pregnancy, as compared to expectant management under regular monitoring.

Study design
Multicentre randomized controlled clinical trial

Study population

No reason for exclusion are:

Women with multiple pregnancy

Women with a child in breech presentation. (Patients can be counselled for a vaginal breech delivery or a caesarean section).

Women with a caesarean section in previous pregnancy. (Patients can be counselled for an induction of the delivery or a caesarean section. The use of prostaglandins are contraindicated. Induction should be performed by rupture of membranes or a Foley-catheter.)

Diabetes

Fetal Growth Restriction, though good fetal condition.

Intervention
Induction of labour, if necessary preceded by artificial ripening versus expectant monitoring. If there exists a contraindication for vaginal delivery, for example a breech presentation, a Caesarean section will be performed if this is agreed in by the patient and her physician.

Outcome measures

Primary outcome measure

The maternal primary outcome measure will be a composite endpoint of maternal mortality, maternal

complications (eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pulmonary edema) and progression to severe pre-eclampsia. The neonatal primary outcome measure will be respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), which can be complicated by fetal mortality in rare cases.

Secondary outcome measures

Secondary maternal outcomes will be caesarean section rate, instrumental vaginal delivery rate, maternal quality of life and quality of recovery and costs. Secondary neonatal outcome will be neonatal morbidity defined as neonatal infection or sepsis, intravenous therapy needed hypoglycaemia, wet lung syndrome, meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumothorax and/or pneumomediastinum, periventricular leucomalacia, convulsions and other neurological abnormalities necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) or asphyxia. Adverse neonatal outcome will be defined as a 5-minute Apgar score below 7, an umbilical artery pH below 7.05 or admission to the neonatal intensive care.

Project leaders
Dr. M.T.M. Franssen, gynecologist, UMCG Veldhoven

Dr. B.W. Mol, gynecologist, AMC Amsterdam

Dr. M.G. van Pampus, gynecologist, OLVG Amsterdam

Health Technology Assessment
Dr. B.C. Opmeer, AMC Amsterdam

Methodology
Dr. J. Langenveld, MUMC Maastricht
           
Subsidy: Zon-Mw funding (80-8230-97-11075)

Contact

hypitat2@studies-obsgyn.nl